"Should
I join Quad-Cities Computer Society (QCS)?",
is a question pondered by visitors. Old members
wonder, "Should I renew my membership?"

The
answer to each of the above questions is a
definite YES! In my opinion, the Quad-Cities
Computer Society is one of the best investments
you can make. Where else can you get help,
instruction, education, and support for the cost
of $30.00 a year? No place!

Word
Perfect was the program at the first meeting I
attended. They did a real neat demonstration. Did
I understand everything they were talking about?
Heck no, in fact I understood very little, but it
looked so easy and did a lot of fascinating
things. Did I want it? Yes. What was I going to
use it for? I had no idea.

When
I joined QCS, the only thing I was proficient at
was playing solitaire. When nothing else worked,
or I got frustrated with the computer, I played
solitaire. I could not even figure out how to
load a program or make it work.

I
heard the word SIG (Special Interest Group). What
is a SIG? It is a small group of members that
zero in on one subject or type of program. (Check
the calendar for a list of available SIGs.) That
is where I was able to gain most of my knowledge.
You don't feel so intimidated in a small group
when you ask a question. And an important thing
to remember about a question is that someone in
the group probably had a similar question when
beginning. We weren't born knowing this new
technology. Computing is a world all its own. It
has its own language. There are terms that you
never heard of until you bought that first
computer. It's like a foreign language. New terms
and their meanings.

The
QCS has large variety of members, from beginners
to the gurus. No matter what the expertise of a
member, there is always someone to help you or
direct you to someone who can. I never had
another member refuse to help. Our club motto,
"Members Helping Members" is one of the
best descriptions of QCS.

I
have now been a member of the club since 1991.
Things demonstrated at the meetings make a little
more sense now. I have gained a great education
and a lot of knowledge, but it is still a
learning process. I have also made many friends
in the club. I can now load programs and make
them work. I can also build a computer from boxes
of parts.

If
you join the QCS, hang in there. It takes time to
learn and you should reap many benefits from the
club. And if time allows, don't be afraid to
volunteer for something that you feel comfortable
doing, even if it's being a greeter at a general
meeting or helping at the sign-in tables. It is a
great way to get to know the other members.

Do
I sometimes get frustrated with the computer?
Yes. Do I still play solitaire? Yes.